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Merlinburgh
Merlinburgh (Official name: Greater Merlinburgh) is the second largest (306: 3.3 million citizens) metropolitan area in Aethelnia, and with Merlinburgh Harbour, its principal port. A large part of the port is a fenced-in duty-free area. Merlinburgh is the commercial centre of Aethelnia. The city's strategic and commercial importance for Aethelnia is reflected in it's flag and arms, which show a town (Merlinburgh) on the waterfront (Futuronian Ocean), with a golden key: A symbol that Merlinburgh is 'the key to Aethelnia'. On the arms, the river Aethel is represented by the blue lion on the upper gold field. Geography Merlinburgh is situated on several islands in the river Aethel´s estuary, along the Futuronian Ocean coast. Planning to be added Transportation Merlinburgh has a cantonwide system of light rail for passengers and cargo. It further has hydrogen-powered buses and Delacroix hybrid taxi cabs. Water taxis and a waterbus service connect the islands in the river Aethel's estuary. Merlinburgh is connected to the Translongerath Occidental Express highspeed railways. It has an international airport, Merlinburgh International, with it's own underground, railway station. The Merlinburgh Express provides a frequent shuttle service between the airport and Merlinburgh's central railway station. Merlinburgh is a major hub of the highway system of Aethelnia by design. An orbital toll motorway, the Merlinburgh Circle, surrounds most of Merlinburgh. It provides access to several national motorways. A congestion charge area for motorized vehicles exists for central Merlinburgh. Parking fees are steep. In the city centre, driving a car is discouraged for non-residents. Greater Merlinburgh is bicycle-friendly. Merlinburgh is obviously accessible by sea. It is the home port of Futuronian&Meridian, Aethelnia's biggest shipping company. The river Aethel is wide and deep and can be navigated by most commercial traffic. Barges can sail upstream as far as Saint Thomas and the Valleys. Administration Merlinburgh is one of 23 autonomous cantons (i.e. states) of Aethelnia. It has it's own canton government and parliament. In Merlinburgh, the head of government is traditionally referred to as the Lord Mayor. He has strong executive powers, and in daily government he is supported by a council of appointed Deputy Mayors. Each deputy majyor is responsible for a particular field of government. The Lord Mayor is appointed and scrutinized by the canton parliament. The canton parliament currently exists of 67 members. They are proportionally-elected every 4 years by the Merlinburgh citizens. Merlinburgh is divided into 33 boroughs and the Old Town of Merlinburgh. They are the most important unit of local government in Merlinburgh. Each borough is headed by a Mayor, and a borough council. Like municipalities, the Merlinburgh Boroughs are responsible for running most local services in their areas, such as schools, social services, waste collection and roads. They also serve as postal code zone, voting district, police district and fire brigade zone. Some borough councils also group together for such services as waste transport and disposal, e.g. the East Merlinburgh Waste Authority. The Boroughs in Merlinburgh have a right to bear arms and may fly a banner of arms. The Old Town of Merlinburgh is a geographically-small town within Greater Merlinburgh. The Old Town of Merlinburgh is the historic core of Merlinburgh from which the modern conurbation grew. The town's boundaries have remained constant since the Middle Ages, and hence it is now only a tiny part of the larger Merlinburgh metropolis. Nowadays most of the Old Town is a National Heritage site, with strict property ownership laws. The Lord Mayor is the guardian of the Old Town. Sightseeing * Old Town * Maritime museum * Merlinburgh harbour Front Category:Cities